Electric control mechanism



I Dec. 12, 1939. H. B. MIDDLETON ELECTRIC CONTROL MECHANISM Filed May15, 1936 s Sheets- Sheet 1 QTII:

I I N V EN TOR. H'- Bezziy/UJJ/en WAN A TTORNEY.

Dec. 12, 1939. H. B. MIDDLETON 2,182,850

ELECTRIC CONTROL MECHANISM I Filed May 15, 1936 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 5- 706'6 opl i i 7/ /72 Q O. 2; 7 7 1 W 5- lama n; 5/ E4 63% 9 7 40 5 a 7 47r1 iii: 9*48 frrsuhfcbn INVEN TOR. E

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ATTORNEY. v

Dec. 12, 1939. H. B. MIDDLETON ,1

ELECTRIC CONTROL MECHANISM Filed May 15, 1936 s Sheets-Shet 5 INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY.

Patent d Dec. 12,1939 v 4 2,182,850

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ELECTRIC CONTROL MECHANISM Henry BentleyMiddleton, Philadelphia, Pa. Application May 15, 1936, Serial No. 79,940

V 2 Claims. (Cl. 104-450) My invention is an electric control mechanismreturn of the blade to its biased position. The which is primarilydesigned for use in the operashifting of the link to affect its severalfunctions tion of miniature electric vehicles to effect the ispreferably caused by a rocker arm carried by remote control of theforward or rearward movethe fulcrumed blade and by a tapered guide inment thereof and the operation of coupling the path of, the link. xmechanism to permit the segregation from one This main switch may bedisconnected from another of the vehicles comprised in a train.- thesupply lead of the reversing mechanism by Preferably the operationof'the coupler can be the above mentioned electromagnet, which is soeffected only after the motor current has been woundas to have a highimpedance preventing cut off and concurrently with the cutting oil. thepassage therethrough of alternating current of the motor current theremay be efiected a rebut which isenergized by direct current suppliedversal of the direction of flow of current through through the railswhen the manual switching the motor windings when the motor circuit ismechanism is operated to connect the rails with reestablished after theuncoupling operation has the rectifier or other source, of directcurrent.

.15 been completed. Upon the actuation of the locomotive main switch Inthe preferred embodiment of my invention bythe direct currentelectromagnet; it is-moved there is utilized a source of alternatingcurrent intoposition to connect with the railsof the and a source ofdirect current, such for instance system a conductor containing aunilateral ele-- as a variable voltage A. C. transformer having mentpermitting unidirectional flow of 'direct a rectifier in paralleltherewith to supply the current, so that when the positive polarity ofthe 20 requisite direct current. The transformer and direct currentis'connectedwith' the hot" rail rectifier are connected with the railsof a miniathe current flows-through such element and enerture railway.through manual switching mechagizes an electromagnet having an armatureconnism whereby the transformertaps may be controllinga coupler. When,however, the negative nectedwiththe respective rails or, inalternapolarity oi the direct current is connected with 25 tion .withthe connection of alternating current, the "hot" rail of the system theunilateral elei the rails may have connected therewith direct mentprevents flow through the electromagnet current, and the polarity of thedirect current of the coupler. V may be connected with either of therails so that The coupler is preferably spring-biased toward 80 directcurrent of positive polarity may be conuncoupled position; but may belatched in counected with either the hot" rail or the ground" pledposition by the armature oi the coupler rail of the-system.electromagnet when the jaw of the coupler is The cm rent impressed uponthe rails flows P ed a h complementary l On 8 theretromfth'rough wheelsor contacts of a vehicle, ond vehicle. v

such as a'locomotlve, which is provided with a While my invention isparticularly designed 35 main switch having its line side normallyconfor use in the. operation and control of miniature nected with the"hot rail of the system. trains it is applicable to other purposes whereThe load side of the switch is normally biased work is to be done byelectroresponsive work-perinto position for connection with the supplyleadf minc devi s r y h utilization of electro- 40 of motor reversingmechanism having a;plumotive force at different points and in the se- 40rality of blades which may be actuated by means quence characteristic ofmy invention. of an electromagnet to permit the flow of current Thecharacteristic features and advantages of in opposite directions throughthe windings of a my invent n Will further pp from the o motor carriedby the locomotive and operatively mg description a d the accompanyingdrawi 5 connected with. the drivers thereof to effect the inillustration thereof. propulsion of the train. The return leads from Inthe d a 1 is a g ma V ew the motor are grounded through the ground rail.illustrating an embodiment of my invention for The reversing mechanismis moved alternately the operation and control of the traction motor toits diflerent positions by sequential energizaand coupler mechanism ofan electric vehicle 5 tions of the electromagnet, which acts throughmovable along rails; Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail 5(- an armatureand'link to thrust a biased fulview showing the position of the mainswitch crumed blade into position tor engagement by a and reversingmechanism during forward movelatch or detent on one actuationof thearmature ment of the locomotive; Fig. 3 is an enlarged deand acts torelease the latch or detent upon a tail view of the main switch andreversing mechsecond actuation of the armature to permit the anism onthe first actuation of the direct current 55 electromagnet controllingthe main switch; Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail view of the main switchand reversing mechanism latched in reversing position; Fig. 5 is anenlarged-detail view of the main switch and reversing mechanism on asecond actuation of the direct current electromagnet illustrating theunlatching of the reversing mechanism blade; Fig. 6 is an enlargedlongitudinal view sectioned along the line 6-5 of Fig. 'I show: ing thecoupler mechanism with the jaw in coupled position; Fig. 7 is a top planview of the coupler mechanism showing the'jaw in coupled position; andFig. 8 is a fragmentary top plan view of the outer end of the couplerwith the jaw in uncoupled position.

In the particular embodiment of my invention shown in the drawings byway of illustration, there is utilized a transformer having a. usualprimary coil Land secondary coil 2 connected with taps 3, 4 and 5,adapted for coaction with a movable blade 8 to vary the voltage passingfrom the secondary to the conductors 1 and 8. The conductor 1 isconnected with a switch contact 9 against which a spring conductingbladeI0 is normally biased. The conductor 8 is connected with a switchcontact ll against which a spring conducting blade i2 is normallybiased. The switch blades I0 and 12 may be operated manually by theinsulated push button l3 to shift the blades out of engagement with thecon tacts 9 and H and into engagement with the switch contacts l4 andI5. The contact 14 is connected through the conductor [6 with thenegative pole ll of a rectifier column [8 and the.

contact I5 is connected through a conductor is with the positive poles20 and 20' of the rectifier column l8.

The rectifier 18 may be any suitable type of rectifier but is preferablycomposed of a stack of copper oxide discs or washers through whichcurrent can pass from the copper oxide faces to the copper faces but notin the reverse direction. The discs may be spaced by soft metal washersto improve the contact and sleeved on an insulating rod to maintainalignment. An intermediate disc 2| is connected by the conductor 22 withone end of the secondary coil 2 and an intermediate disc 23 is connectedby a conductor 24 with the opposite end of the secondary coil 2.

The blade I0 is permanently connected through a conductor 25 with theswitch contact 26 against which is normally biased a spring conductingblade 21 which is connected through a conductor 28 withthe hot" rail Hof a miniature railway.

The conducting blade II is permanently connected through a conductor 29with a switch contact 30 against which is normally biased a springconducting blade 3| which is permanently connected through the conductor32 with the ground rail G, of the miniature railway system. The blades21 and 31 may be manually shifted by an insulating push button 33 out ofengagement with the switch contacts 26 and 30 and into engagementrespectively with the switch contacts 34 and 35. The contact 34 isconnected through the conductors 36 and H! with the positive terminals20 and 20' of the rectifier l8 and the switch contact 35 is connectedthrough the conductors 31 and IS with the negative terminal I! of therectifier l8.

Current impressed on the rail H flows therefrom through a suitablecontact such as the shoe 38 of a tractor vehicle, such as a miniaturelocomotive, and through a conductor 39 to the motor field terminal 40 onthe block 4|. The other field terminal 42 is connected through aconductor 43 with the line terminal 44 of a conducting switch blade 45fixed to an insulating block 45 mounted on the lever 41, which isfulcrumed on a bearing 48 and normally biased toward the right (Fig. 1)by a leaf spring 49. The blade 45 is normally biased into engagementwith a contact screw 50 which is connected by a conductor 5| with theend of a spring conducting blade 52 which is mechanically connectedthrough the insulating block 53 with a spring conducting blade 54, whichis connected through the conductors 55, 56 and 51 and movable contact,such as the shoe 50, with the ground rail G. The rails H and G and theshoes or contacts moving along the same are otherwise insulated from oneanother.

The blade 52 is normally biased into engagement with the contact 59,which is connected by a conductor 60 with the terminal 6| of the motorarmature 52 and the other terminal 63 of the armature is connectedthrough a conductor 64 with the contact 65, against which the blade 54is normally biased (Figs. 1 and 2).

The blades 52 and 54 may be shifted toward the left, out of engagementwith the contacts 59 and 65 and into engagement with the contacts 56 and61 (Fig. 3). The contact 66 is connected through the conductors 61 and64 with the armature terminal 53 and the contact 61 is connected throughthe conductor 60 with the armature terminal "5 I The shifting of theblades 52 and 54 toward the left is effected by the rocking of the lever41, which moves the rod 68 to initially engage the blade 54 immediatelybelow the triangle or wedge-shaped guide 69 mounted on the base 69a(Fig. 3). When the blade 54 is shifted to the left it is latched in suchposition by a spring latch 10, the end.of which engages the blade 54immediately above the guide 69. The rocking of the blade 54 rocks upwardthe curved arm H thereon which imparts a stress to the spring blade 68tending to deflect its free end upward above the apex of the guide 69when the rod 63 is retracted to its normal biasedposition, as shown inFig. 4. 0n the next leftward movement of the rod 68 by the rocking ofthe lever 41, the end of the rod 58 is deflected upwardly by the upperinclined surface of the cam or guide 59 and thereby lifts the latch 10out of engagement with the blade 54 and permits the blades 52 and 54 toreturn to their normal biased position in engagement with the contacts59 and 65.

The rocking of the lever 41 is effected by the energizing andde-energizing of the electromagnet 12 whose coil is'so wound thatitsimpedance is too high to permit the passage therethrough of alternatingcurrent but does permit the passage therethrough of direct current whichis supplied from the conductor 13 tapped on to the conductor 39 andthrough the conductor 14 tapped on to the conductor 56.

When the lever 41 is rocked, it first disengages the main switch blade45 from the contact screw 50, thus opening the motor circuit andpreventing any movement of the locomotive due to D. C. entering themotor. The opening of the switch also prevents the motor acting as ashunt to the operating magnet 12. Otherwise, the motor being of muchlower resistance than the magnet 12, it wouldtake the greater part ofthe operating current and might interfere with the complete operation ofthe lever 41. The opening of the circuit through the members, before anyof On the completion of the movement of the lever 41, the blade 45engages with the contact 14 which is connected through a. conductor 15with a unilateral element 15 preferably consisting of one or more copperoxide discs with their oxide faces connected with the conductor 15 sothat positive polarity direct current may flow unidirectional throughthe conductor 15 and element 15 to the one terminal 11 of thecoil of theelectromagnet 18 whose other terminal 19 is connected through aconductor 88 with the conductor 14.

An armature 8| in the field of the electromagnet 18 has connectedtherewith a latch or detent 82 adapted to engage a collar 83 on theshaft 84 when the electromagnet 15 is deenergized. When theelectromagnet 18 is energized by the passage of current therethrough, itattracts the armature 18 and draws the detent 82 out of the path of thecollar 83. The rod 84 is normally biased toward the left (Figs. 1, -6and 7) by a coiled spring 85 disposed-between thehead 88"and the bracket81. The other end of the rod 84 is pivotally connected with a couplerjaW'TBB adapted to be rocked on a pivot 88 for engagement with acomplementary similar jaw when the arms 88 of the complementary jaws areabutted together. A guard and guide 9| serve to direct the complementaryarms 88 toward one another to effect the engagement of the complementarycoupler jaw 88. The engagement of the coupler jaws draws the rod 84forwardly against the biasing action of the spring 85'and latches thecollar 83 in front of the detent 82, when the detent is in its lowerposition. When, however, the detent is elevated by the attraction of thearmature 8| by the electromagnet 18, the biasing action of the spring 85thrusts the rod 84 toward the left (Fig. 8) and .uncouples'thecomplementary jaws.

During the normal operation of the train in the forward direction thepush buttons I3 and 33 are in their upper positions and alternatingcurrent flows from the coil 2 through the members 1, 9, I8, 25, 25, 21,28, G, 58', 51-, 55, 55, 54, 65, 54, 53, A, 5|, 68, 59, 52, 5|, 58, 45,44, 43, 42,

F, 48, 39, 38, H, 32, 3|, 38 28, I2, II and 8 back a to coil, therebyrotating the rotor ofa motor to move the train in the forward direction.No

current flows through the stack I8 because all the switch blades aredisengaged from the contacts connected with the'stack. No current flowsthrough the conductors 13 and 14 because the inductance of the coil ofthe electromagnet 12 is too high to permit the passage of alternatingcurrent therethrough.

fiIf now it is desired to reverse the direction of movement'of thetrain, without uncoupling, the push button 33 is depressed to disengagethe blades 21 and 3| from the contacts 25 and 38 and momentarily engagethe blades 21 and 3| with the contacts 34 and 35. This momentarilyinterrupts the flow of alternating current but soon permits the flow ofalternating current through the conductors 22 and 23 to the stack I8where it is rectified by the discs of such stack II, with a consequentflow of direct current from the positive terminals 28 and 28' throughthe parts I8, 88, 84, 21, 28, G, 88, 81,58, 14, 12, 18, 39, 38, H, 32,3|, 35, 31, I5, and back to the negative terminal I1 of the stack I8.This flow energizes the electromagnet 1.2, which attracts the armature41' on the lever 41, moves the blades 52 and 54 into engagement withthe. contacts 55 and 51, and latches them in this position as shown inFig. 3. The :rockingof the lever 41 momentarily disengages the blade 45from the screw 58 and engages it with the screw 14, but

" there is no flow of direct current through the electromagnet 18because the positivepolarity would tend to flow from the conductor 14through the'members 88, 19, 18, and 11, but is stopped by the coppersurface of the unilateral element 15 and prevented thereby from flowingthrough the conductor 15, screw 14, blade 45, and parts 43, 42, F, 48,89, 38, and back to the rail H.

Whenthe button 33 is released, the circuit through the electromagnet 12is broken, but the blades 52 and 54 are retained latched in theirleftward position shown in'Fig. 3. Hence alternating current now flowsthrough the panel board and to the main blade 45 in the mannerpreviously described, but from the main blade flows through thereversing blade 52, contact 55,

contact 51, conductor 54, armature terminal 58,

armature A, armature terminal 5|, conductor, terminal 51, blade 54,conductors 55, 55 and 51, and back to ground through the rail G and thepanel board in the manner previously described.

Since, however, the current is now passing through the motor windingsfrom terminal 53 to, terminal 5| the motor will rotate in the reversedirection from that in which it moves when current is flowing throughthe motor windings from terminal 5| to terminal 53.

The backward movement of the locomotive will bring the coupler arm 88into engagement with the complementary coupler arm of another car andthrow the jaw 88 to coupling position, where it is locked by theengagement of the detent 82 behind the collar 83.

A further actuation of the button 33 will again energize theelectromagnet 12 and rock the lever 41 to cause the rod 58 to disengagethe latch 18 and permit restoration of the blades 52 and 54 from thecontacts 8 and I I to interrupt the alternating current and engage theseblades with the contacts I4 and I5. Current now flows from the coil 2,through the conductors 22 and 28, is rectified by the copper. oxidediscs at the ends of the stack I8, and flows as direct current from thepositive terminals 28, 28 through the parts I9, I5, I2, 29, 38, 3|, 32,rail H, 38, 39. The current then divides, a portion thereof goingthrough the-parts 13, 12, 14, 55, 51, 58, rail G, 28, 21, 25, i

25, I8, I4, I5, back to the negative terminal I1. The current thusflowing through and energizing the electromagnet 12 causes it to attractthe ar-,

mature 41' and rock the lever 41 to effect the shift of the reversingblades 52, 54, and move the main switch blade away. from the contactscrew 45 into engagement with the contact screw 14. This establishes ashunt current for direct current of positive polarity from the conductor39 through the terminals 40, field F, terminals 42,

conductor 43, blade 45, parts 1 4, 15, 16, TI, 18, 19 and 80 toconductor 14, where the shunt flow rejoins the main flow and returnstherewith to the negative terminal I! as described. The electromagnet 18is thereby energized to attract the armature 8| and release the detent82 from the collar 83, on which the detent then rides. The expansion ofthe spring 85 then throws the coupler rod 84 and jaw 88 to uncouplingposition.

The release of the button l3 reestablishes the alternating currentcircuit through the motor, and if a change in its direction of rotationis desired this can be effected by pushing either button l3 or 33. Itwill be noted that the initial movements of the buttons llor 3 3 breaksthe alternating current circuit before the direct current circuit isestablished and prevents any direct current impulse going back into thetransformer through the conductors I and 8.

While I prefer to use both traction rails as conductors, a third railmay, if desired, be added as a separate traction rail, and the directcurrent may be supplied from a battery instead of a rectifier ifdesired. Anydesired number of coupling mechanisms may, be connected inparallel in the circuit controlled by the unilateral element 16. Thiselement provides a simple, efficient and inexpensive means for operationoi the reversing mechanism by the button ll'without operating thecouplers or permitting the operation of the couplers by the button I;without wastage 01" direct current by flow through the armature windingsor damage thereto. The controls may be assembled in convenient panels orunits comprising the transformer, rectifier and manual switchingmechanism assembled together at a point a suitable distance from thetrack, and the propelling motor, main control switch, and itselectromagnet, reverving mechanism, unilateral conductor, coupleractuator and coupler, may be assembled in a suitable vehicle, such as aminiature locomotive, trolley car, tractor, or the like.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. The combination with a traction wheel and an electric motor thereforand a coupler and an electric actuator therefor, of operating andcontrol mechanism including as elements a source of alternating current,a source of direct current,

an electromagnet energizable by direct current only, a switch operableby said electromagnet for putting said motor in circuit with saidalternating current source or said actuator in circuit with said directcurrent source, a circuit between said switch and motor including motorreversing mechanism operable by said electromagnet, a circuit betweensaid switch and actuator including a unilateral conductor permittingunidirectional current flow, and means connecting said elements incircuit and including switching mechanism for connecting one side ofsaid switch alternately in circuit with the alternating current sourceand with the positive polarity of the direct current source or forconnecting said side of said switch alternately with the alternatingcurrent source and with the negative polarity of the direct currentsource.

2. The combination of a transformer, a rectifier connected. with saidtransformer, a switch,

mechanism for connecting one side of said switch reversing mechanismoperable by said electromagnet and connected with said switch in asecond position thereof, and a traction motor connected with saidreversing mechanism, and operable by .current from said transformer.

H. BENTLEY MIDDLETON.

